42 U.S. Code § 5309 - Nondiscrimination in programs and activities

No person in the United States shall on the ground of race, color, national origin, religion, or sex be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any program or activity funded in whole or in part with funds made available under this chapter. Any prohibition against discrimination on the basis of age under the Age Discrimination Act of 1975 [42 U.S.C. 6101 et seq.] or with respect to an otherwise qualified handicapped individual as provided in section
794 of title
29 shall also apply to any such program or activity.

(b) Compliance procedures available to Secretary

Whenever the Secretary determines that a State or unit of general local government which is a recipient of assistance under this chapter has failed to comply with subsection (a) or (e) of this section or an applicable regulation, he shall notify the Governor of such State or the chief executive officer of such unit of local government of the noncompliance and shall request the Governor or the chief executive officer to secure compliance. If within a reasonable period of time, not to exceed sixty days, the Governor or the chief executive officer fails or refuses to secure compliance, the Secretary is authorized to

(1) refer the matter to the Attorney General with a recommendation that an appropriate civil action be instituted;

(2) exercise the powers and functions provided by title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (42 U.S.C. 2000d);

(3) exercise the powers and functions provided for in section
5311(a) of this title; or

(4) take such other action as may be provided by law.

(c) Civil action by Attorney General

When a matter is referred to the Attorney General pursuant to subsection (b) of this section, or whenever he has reason to believe that a State government or unit of general local government is engaged in a pattern or practice in violation of the provisions of this section, the Attorney General may bring a civil action in any appropriate United States district court for such relief as may be appropriate, including injunctive relief.

The provisions of this section and section
5304(b)(2) of this title which relate to discrimination on the basis of race shall not apply to the provision of assistance by grantees under this chapter to the Hawaiian Home Lands.

(e) Equal access

(1) Definition

In this subsection, the term “youth organization” means an organization described under part
B of subtitle
II of title
36 that is intended to serve individuals under the age of 21 years.

(2) In general

No State or unit of general local government that has a designated open forum, limited public forum, or nonpublic forum and that is a recipient of assistance under this chapter shall deny equal access or a fair opportunity to meet to, or discriminate against, any youth organization, including the Boy Scouts of America or any group officially affiliated with the Boy Scouts of America, that wishes to conduct a meeting or otherwise participate in that designated open forum, limited public forum, or nonpublic forum.

This chapter, referred to in subsecs. (a), (b), (d), and (e)(2), was in the original “this title”, meaning title I of Pub. L. 93–383, Aug. 22, 1974, 88 Stat. 633, which is classified principally to this chapter. For complete classification of title I to the Code, see Tables.

The Age Discrimination Act of 1975, referred to in subsec. (a), is title III of Pub. L. 94–135, Nov. 28, 1975, 89 Stat. 728, which is classified generally to chapter 76 (§ 6101 et seq.) of this title. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see Short Title note set out under section
6101 of this title and Tables.

The Civil Rights Act of 1964, referred to in subsec. (b), is Pub. L. 88–352, July 2, 1964, 78 Stat. 241. Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 is classified generally to subchapter V (§ 2000d et seq.) of chapter
21 of this title. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see Short Title note set out under section
2000a of this title and Tables.

Amendment by Pub. L. 97–35effective Oct. 1, 1981, see section 371 ofPub. L. 97–35, set out as an Effective Date note under section
3701 of Title
12, Banks and Banking.

Reconciliation of Duplicate Enactments

Pub. L. 109–364, div. A, title X, § 1071(f)(2),Oct. 17, 2006, 120 Stat. 2402, as amended by Pub. L. 110–181, div. A, title X, § 1063(c)(10),Jan. 28, 2008, 122 Stat. 323, provided that: “In executing to section 109 of the Housing and Community Development Act of 1974 [42 U.S.C. 5309] the amendments made by section 8126(d) ofPublic Law 109–148 (119 Stat. 2730) and section 1058(d) ofPublic Law 109–163 (119 Stat. 3443), such amendments shall be executed so as to appear only once in the law as amended.”